California is the No. 1 state for dog-bite injuries, State Farm says

In this 2017 file photo, a pitbull named "Lucy" participates a the U.S. Postal Service "National Dog Bite Prevention Week" during an awareness event in at the YMCA in Los Angeles, California.
Amanda Lee Myers
Associated Press

California residents experience more dog bites than any other state in the country, according to State Farm insurance.

Children make up more than 50 percent of all dog-bite victims, according to State Farm. The elderly are also frequent dog-bite victims. And this stereotype apparently holds up: Mail carriers are also high on the bite list. Postal workers in Los Angeles get more dog bites than mail carriers in any other California city, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

▪ Socialize your dog: Introduce your dog to different people and circumstances to reduce anxiety in unfamiliar situations. Start young, ideally when your dog is a puppy. Word of warning: Watch for signs of stress, and if your dog shows dangerous behavior toward any person, the Humane Society recommends seeking professional help from a veterinarian or dog trainer.

▪ Keep your dog from situations you know will be a stress: If your dog growls at children, for example, keep it separated from kids. If your dog panics in crowds, the Humane Society advises to leave him at home, and then work with professionals to help your dog become comfortable in these situations.

“What we want to do is educate people to remember that socializing any animal, especially with children, leads to the success of that animal in that home,” Capt. Jane Andreotti of Contra Costa Animal Services told KTVU.

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